Device for cleaning bobbins



Aug. 20, 1935. E I A, McKlLLoP Re. 19,673

DEVCE FOR CLEANING BOBBINS Original Filed Nov. 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l C f@ BY M mi ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1935. E. A. McKxLLoP DEVICE FOR CLEANING BOBBINS Original Filed Nov. 5. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LTAMycL-uop,

MMP-l,

ATTORNEY Reissues! Aug. 20, 1935 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Original No. 1,945,654, dated February 6, 1934,

Serial No. 573,273, November 5, 1931. Application for reissue April 8, 1935, Serial No. 15,352

6 Claims. (Cl. .Z8- 20) This i venticn relates to a device for cleaning the central passages in bobbins. Machines which are known as bobbin strippers place the bobbins periodically in predetermined position and weft residues which collect upon the exterior of the quill or bobbn is scraped or stripped ofi and are dcned the art as bobbin or quill stripping machines. In these types oi machines the bobbin head is gripped between a pair of automatically operated jaws carried by a cross head which is rociprocated to cause the quills or bobblns to be moved between lznivcs which strip the weft windM ings or weit residues from the exterior oi' the quills or bobbihs. The clean bobbns are then removed and are ready for use. The machines automatically place the oullls in the cleaning position and also remove them periodically iroln such position. The axial passages of the bobbin, however, are cleaned manually by means of tools or wires which are passed through the central core.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device for automatically cleaning the axial passages oi quills or bobbins by forcing compressed air through thc passages with the quills being placed in operative position for the axial cleaning and thon removed to permit successive quills vto be placed in position to receive a blast of compressed air.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device lor forcing compressed air through the axial passage of a quill or bobbn for removing lint collected therein in which a nozzle is moved into snug contact with the smaller end of the quill and in alignment with the axial passage so that when the carrier carrying the nozzle is reciprocatcd and the nozzle is in contact with the quill a, valve will be automatically operated for forcingr a blast of compressed air through the nozzle and through the axial passage of the quill.

A further obg'ect of the invention is the provision of a device for cleaning the axial passages of the quills or bobbins in which a nozzle is moved into contacting relation with one end of the quill, the nozzle being carried by a carriage which is periodically reciprocated towards and away from the quill while the quill is held temporarily in a fixed position for the cleaning operation.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings forining a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modications which shall define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan View partly in section of a device constructed in accordance with the prnciples of my invention, 5

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device with parts in section,

Figure 3 is a vertical section ol the oscillating moans for the movable carriage, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the air nozzle. 10

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

.li designates a bracket to which is secured an arm ii by means of screws I2. This arm is ioin'ied integrally with a casing I3 which provides a housing lor a rock shaft I4. The bracket 15 i loting part of an Utsman bobbin stripper disclo ed in Patent No. 1,740,127, dated Dec. 1'?. 1929,

or other similar machine which is adapted to clean the exterior walls of the quills or bobblns, the last-named device containing means for auto- 20 matically positioning the quills or Dobbins for cleaning purposes but since this stripper forms no part oi the present invention, the same is not shown completely.

An operating shaft o1" the stripper indicated at 25 i5 and a coupling sleeve I6 connects the shaft l5 with a shaft Il, set screws I8 being employed for connecting the sleeve Iii to the respective shafts. The shaft l5 is rocked through an angle of approximately lil to 15 as is likewise the 30 shaft Il for a purpose which will be presently explained.

The housing I3 has an upper extension 20 with its opposite ends open to receive bearings 2l, and 22 which are secured in place by means oi 35 bolts 23.

A boss 24 is formed on the top of the extension 2@ of the casing I3 and is provided with a threaded passage receiving a plug 25. The passage in which the plug 25 is threaded pro 40 vides means for the application of a lubricant to the working parts within the casing I3.

The shaft Il is provided with an enlarged por- 'lon 2li having a spiral groove 21 which receives a tooth 25 formed radially on the shaft I4. 45

A bar Bil passes through an opening in the shaft lil and is secured in place on said shaft by means oi a set screw 3l. The shaft has an offset portion 32 which is received within a sleeve 33 having ears 34 which are secured to 50 the outer end 35 of a slidably mounted carriage Sii by means of bolts 3l. The opposite end of the bar 3i] is provided with a sleeve Ml to which is connected one end of a coil spring M. The other end of the coil spring is secured to a rod 55 52 which in turn is attached to one end of the casng I3. The spring 4I is adapted to maintain the bar 39 in a predetermined position which is substantially at right angles to the shaft I1.

The bracket I9 of the bobbin stripper referred to above is provided with a channel member L15 in which [s mounted a housing d5. This housing includes a base member 41 and side walls e8. The side walls of the housing are sheared off, as shown et '19, at an angle to the vertical and this housing receives the carriage 3G.

The carriage consists of a base member 5B having a vertically disposed end member 5I formed integrally with the base member and provided with an opening to receive a pipe 52. A block 53 which is secured to the member 5I is also provided with an opening to receive the pipe 52. A set screw secures the pipe to said block. A support 55 has a foot 56 which is se- 'fured to the base member of the carriage 35. This member 55 is provided with an opening which receives the pipe 52 so that the block 53 and members 5I and 55 support the pipe 52 upon the carriage 36.

A nozzle, generally designated by the numeral 5D, is secured to the end of the pipe 52 which projects beyond the member 5 I. The nozzle consists of a sleeve 6I threaded at 52 upon the outer end of the pipe 52. This sleeve has a counter- :zunk portion which is threaded as shown at 53 to receive an internal sleeve SII. A head is threaded at 65 upon the internal sleeve 55 for securing the head 65 to the sleeve 5I and likewise to the pipe 52.

The head E5 is provided with a lip portion 6l' projecting outwardly from the head 65 at the lower end to receive the reduced end 68 of a quill or bobbin 69. This construction permits the quills to be placed in contact with the nozzle so that the axial passage 1Il of the quill 63 will be aligned with an axial passage 1I in a rubber sleeve 12. This sleeve is forced into the sleeve 64 and is provided with a shoulder 13 engaging a complementarily-constructed shouldei` formed interiorly of the head 65.

A supporting member for the quill 69 is shown at 15 and this member consists of similarly constructed members uand similarly constructed plates 15 which has a lower inner offset portion 11 perforated to receive a bar 18. The bar 18 is received by the side walls of the chute or channel member 45. The upper ends of the plates 16 are spaced apart suiciently to snugly receive an intermediate portion of a quill 69.

A support for the quill or bobbin head in the stripping machine is in the form of a reciprocaring cross head having a. pair of movable arms Se and 8I having clamping jaws 83 which are adapted to auomatically grip the quill or bobbin head 31, as the quills are moved into position. The cross head carrying the arms 8U and 8| is adapted to be reciprocated towards the nozzle 39 by a moving part (not shown) of the stripping machine.

A head abutment 82 is carried by the cross head between the outer free ends of the arms 8U and 8l and is in horizontal alignment with the nozzle SI1. This head abutment is provided with a vertical passage 84 which is in open communication with the central passage 10 of the quill E9 to permit lint, as shown at 85, to pass downwardly after said lint has been blown from the axial passage of the quill. The outer free end of the abutment 82, as shown at B6, is adapted to snugly engage the head 81 of the quill and is maintained in such position by the clamping arms 85 and 3|.

A rod 99 is secured at 9I to a bracket arm 92 depending from the channel member 45. At the outer end of the arm. as shown at 93, is pivotally mounted one end of a lever 94 which is bent intermediate its ends, as shown at 95, to provide an offset arm 96. This arm is pivoted at 91, upon ears 9B, depending from a cuff 99. The lever 94 is provided with a seat |09 for a purpose which Will be presently explained.

A valve casing, as shown at IGI, is provided with a valve lDI'LL having a depending stem m2 which is adapted to be in engagement with the seat IDI) on the lever 94. A spring IElZa maintains the valve closed. The casing Ii is in communication with the pipe 52 and with a pipe |93 which is connected with a flexible tubing IM. This tubing is connected with a source of compressed air.

The operation of my device is as follows: The device for cleaning the axial passages of quills or bobbins is used in connection with a stripping machine which is adapted to automatically place the quills or bobbins in a predetermined position for stripping the lint from the exterior walls of the quills or bobbins and for removing the lint after the cleaning operation has been completed. While these quills or bobbins are being held in place before the initiation of the stripping operation the nozzle 69 has time to move into snug contact with the reduced end of the tapered bobbin or quill 69 by the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 and as the carriage 35 is moved towards the reduced end of the bobbin the lever 94 is actuated so that when the rubber sleeve 12 has come into snug engagement with the end of the quill 59, the lever 94 will be tilted suiiiciently to elevate the stem I Il2 and thereby open the value within the housing IBI so that a blast of compressed air will be forced through the axial passage 19 of the quill 59 and force the lint from the enlarged end 81 as shown at 35 in Fig. 2. The carriage is then moved in the opposite direction, releasing the quill 69 so that the mechanism (not shown) will be permitted to remove the quill and place another quill in position for the cleaning of the lint from the axial passage of said quill.

It will be seen that since the shaft I1 is rocked through a small angle by the shaft I5, the spiral groove 21, receiving the tooth 28 of the shaft Ill, will cause the shaft I4 likewise to be rocked, thereby oscillating the rod 3E) so that the oiset portion 32 of the rod 39 will be moved outwardly and thus move the carriage 3S in the same direction and the nozzle 60 away from the reduced end of the quill 69. As the shaft I5 is rocked in the opposite direction and likewise the shaft I1, the shaft I4 will be moved in the opposite direction. thereby rocking the rod 30 so that the offset portion 32 will move the carriage inwardly to cause the nozzle 69 to engage a successive quill.

The rocking of the lever 94 is again repeated for opening the valve within the casing I9I to permit a further blast of compressed air into the newly positioned quill.

When the carriage 36 is moved in the opposite direction the arm 94 is rocked outwardly, thereby lowering the seat |05, thereby closing the valve in the casing IUI.

A rod IIU is secured to the side walls 48 of the housing 45 and in close association with the bottom of the carriage 35 so that the carriage will be maintained in position within its respective housing during the reciprocating movement of the carriage. The rocking of the shaft 30 is through an arc of approximately 10 to 15 and the movement of the member 52 is not over vesixteenths of an inch, so that while the lever 94 is pivotally connected at one end with the rod 90 and at its other end with the ears 93, of the sleeve 99, the rod 9D may be flexed slightly during the very limited travel of the member 52.

When the quill or bobbin 69 has been moved to approximately the initial position for the stripping operation the nozzle 60 will be engaged by the tip of the quill through the reciprocation of the pipe 52 so that when the outer end of the rubber sleeve I2 snugly engages the tip 68 of the quill 69, a sudden blast of air will be forced through the passage 'H of the member 12 and through the pipe T0 of the quill E9 so that by the time that the stripping mechanism is ready to move the quill, the air has been cut off and the pipe 52 moves away from the tip of the quill so that the quill is then free to be moved out to permit the positioning of another quill. It will be understood that in addition to the supporting eect afforded by the cross head carrying the gripper jaws 8|, B0 and the abutment 82, the quill will be supported intermediate the aforesaid parts and the nozzle tip 60 by the usual head rest and stripper blades.

I claim:

1. A bobbin cleaner comprising an air nozzle, means for supporting a bobbin with the hollow inter'or of the bobbin aligned with the discharge opening of said nozzle, means for reciprocating the nozzle and for moving said nozzle temporarily into snug engagement with one end of the bobbin, a pipe connecting the nozzle with a source of air and reciprocated with the nozzle, a valve incorporated in the pipe for controll ng the flow of air to the nozzle, said valve having a stem, a rod having one end secured to a xed support, a lever having one end pivoted to the free end of the rod so that the lever may be oscillated from the free end of the rod, the other end of the lever being pivotally connected to the pipe, the lever having a projection engageable with the stem so that when the lever is oscillated in one direction by the reciprocation of the nozzle, the projection will move the valve to open position.

2. In a bobbin stripping machine having a driven means, a pair of spaced supports for the ends of the bobbin, one of the supports having an air passage adapted for alignment with the axial passage in the bobbin, means actuated by the driven means of the stripper for causing the last-mentioned support to be moved into snug engagement with the adjacent end of the bobbin so that the air passage will be aligned with the axial passage in the bobbin, means for supplying the air passage in the support with air, means for controlling the supply of air to the air passage, and means operated upon the movement of the support for causing actuation of the controlling means to supply air to the quill.

3. In a bobbin stripper having means for supporting a bobbin to be stripped of lint, an air nozzle adapted to engage one end of the supported bobbin, means for moving the nozzle into snug engagement with the end of the bobbin, said nozzle having a passage adapted to align with the axial passage in the bobbin, means for supplying the passage in the nozzle with air under pressure, means for controlling the flow of air through the nozzle, means caused to be actuated by the moving means for the nozzle for operating the controlling means for the air.

4. In a bobbin stripper having means for supporting a bobbin to be stripped of lint and a driven means for causing reciprocaton of the supporting means, the combination of a nozzle in alignment with the supporting means for engaging one end of the bobbin. means for supplying compressed air to the nozzle, means actuated by the driven means of the bobbin stripper for causing the release of compressed air to the nozzle and a blast of air through the bobbin.

5. In combination with a bobbin stripping machine having a bobbin pusher actuating means, a bobbin pusher, an air nozzle mounted on said pusher and provided with a tip seat for a bobbin, said air nozzle being movable back and forth with said pusher during the usual stripping operations, and means for supplying a blast of air to said nozzle actuated by the movement of said pusher to deliver a blast of air to the nozzle at n valve in the pipe and valve actuating appliance attached to the pipe and provided with means for opening said valve when the pusher has reached approximately the end of the pushing stroke.

EDGAR A. MCKILLOP. 

